Help please!

Hi! I'm new here and have just a small makeup collection of my own. I do have a Sephora card, but the only Sephora around is almost an hour away so I've only been once. I've been really intrigued by these subscription boxes and was wondering which one is the best for a beginner on a budget? I'd love to hear pros and cons of the ones you've tried!

Hi @ welcome to the madness!

I guess a lot depends on your budget and where you live. I'm in the UK but there are a few that I've tried either in the past or the UK version

Memebox is good for Korean beauty products (thought to be about 10 yrs ahead of the rest of the world in skincare!). They have themes boxes but often do a spoiler or full reveal to show what's inside. They also have a store online and vouchers etc that help reduce the price! The prices vary but worth having a wee look.

If you are in the US then Beauteque have K Beauty "bags" in a similar vein. If your international though - avoid as their shipping out with the US is attritious!

There is then the likes of Glossybox and Birchbox which are ok.

The best thing is to have a look at some of the threads about subs as they will let you know roughly what's included. You can then check you tube for unboxing vids which can also give you an idea of what's in boxes.

There may also be "one off boxes" Latest in Beauty in the UK are great but don't know if they ship international. Have about 10 items in the box! There may be a US or Canada box similar so you could ask about that..

Be warned, its addictive!! I've bought over 50 Memeboxes (till they stopped international sales lol!!)

Have fun

I'd start with ipsy or Birchbox since they're both on the low end price wise (both $10/month). You'll get a mix of deluxe and full size cosmetics, skin and hair care products with each, with 5 samples each month per box. You get a new small makeup bag with each month with ipsy but you earn Birchbox points for reviewing your products to use in their online store; they add up very quickly and work the same as $ online). They are by far the lowest risk sub boxes (and I've literally subbed to every box at one point or another since 2013). Glossybox is a little more expensive at $21 but they frequently have coupons for 20%-30% off a longer subscription (6+ months I believe is the shortest multi-month sub since they eliminated the 3 month sub option a month or so ago) which brings the boxes down to about $16 each. Same mix of product categories. Then there's Julep for nails (you get to select which box you want each month among 5-6 offerings). The price per month ranges from $20 for the standard box to $75 if you upgrade and get every item in a given month's collection. If you're looking for more of a lifestyle box that includes beauty products, Popsugar is a good starting point. They also offer coupons regularly so you can bring the regular $40/box down to about $32. I recommend you check out the various threads here for each box since there are pics included in posts for every month of each sub box. That's the best way for you to decide what looks like a good fit for you since makeup and skincare are unique to each woman.

I recommend birchbox or ipsy for a beginner. They are $10 a month and both have their pros and cons.

I love birchbox because being able to earn ponts (10pts=$1) to spend in their shop is very appealing. If you do it right you can earn $5 a month. This adds up and I have bought some cool stuff free and even gifted subscriptions using points.

Ipsy is great too.. probably the better choice if you are more into makeup. If you can afford it. I would try both. You can cancel at anytime. And like someone else wisely and accurately said before me.. welcome to the madness and addiction of subscription boxes. Enjoy. xo

Thanks for all the replies! I'll definitely take a look around the posts to see some pictures. I've heard a lot about ipsy, but nothing about Birchbox so learning about those points is intriguing. Nice to "meet" you all, and thanks for the starting points! /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

When I was in your shoes almost three years ago I looked at the reviews of boxes on Mysubscriptionaddiction.com and ramblingsofasuburbanmom.com. They do monthly reviews of many types of boxes, including beauty subscriptions. Birchbox has lots of variations of products based on a profile of your beauty needs and interests. They also have a lot of items you would finds at Sephora and Ulta, as well as unique products and lifestyle and home items. It is my personal favorite at just 10$.

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll definitely take a look at those too!